Smile review

"Smile" Review - Broadway musical

The musical is an adaptation of the eponymous film, shot by director M. Ritchie in 1975. H. Ashman did not reflect in his work a satirical line of the narration. In his script, he told the story of what was going on behind the scenes during the beauty contest. It lasted for only six weeks on the stage of Broadway. The show was presented to the audience not in the best time, because that year was marked by the appearance of many great musicals. Against their backdrop, this production remained almost unnoticed by the public. Reviews on the Broadway production were mostly negative. Reviewers noted – musical had lost a satirical mood of the film, and despite all efforts, could not recreate a festive atmosphere of the contest. And yet, a few songs from the show received enough fame among the audience. After the failure, the authors engaged in re-thinking of production. They have created more space for male actors, as well as shifted the emphasis on the other women’s characters of the play. In the future, this show was staged only using the updated version.

According to modern critics, the production was one of the most underestimated productions of all times. Musical considered lost, because it was not recorded officially. There exists only a demo version of the Broadway production, prepared for the Samuel French Publishing. When doing it, did not use an orchestra – music created only with the help of several musical instruments. In 2014, the theatrical has been presented in the form of a concerto, which included the actors of the original Broadway production. Critics have pointed out that there was the spirit of youth and beauty. Thanks to programs of revival of lost performances, show received a new life. Its production was started in theatrical schools and colleges, as also a musical allowed to participate in the performance to a large number of girls. Many viewers wondered why this production did not become popular at the first place. According to their opinions, with such melodious numbers and an original storyline, the show had to gain fame. Creation of new performances in the future should definitely allow this histrionics to gain popularity among the modern public.Last Update:July, 13th 2016